Six times President Obama has quoted Reagan

Former first lady Nancy Reagan and President Barack Obama smile after Obama presented her with a pen after signing the Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission Act, Tuesday, June 2, 2009, during a ceremony in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House in Washington. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif. is at center. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

President Barack Obama loves to quote GOP hero Ronald Reagan to make points about his current Republican opponents and other issues. Here’s a look at how he’s used the words of the 40th president.

Obama quotes Reagan on gun control

Obama: Reagan Supported Gun Controltpmtv

What Obama said: At a press conference Wednesday, Obama quoted Reagan’s support of an assault-weapons ban: ”Weapons designed for the theater of war have no place in a movie theater. A majority of Americans agree with us on this. And, by the way, so did Ronald Reagan, one of the staunchest defenders of the Second Amendment, who wrote to Congress in 1994, urging them — this is Ronald Reagan speaking — urging them to ‘listen to the American public and to the law enforcement community and support a ban on the further manufacture of [military-style assault] weapons.’”

What Reagan said: During the debate over the assault-weapons ban in 1994, Reagan and former presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter signed a letter to all members of the House backing the legislation. “While we recognize that assault-weapon legislation will not stop all assault-weapon crime, statistics prove that we can dry up the supply of these guns, making them less accessible to criminals,” the letter read. ”We urge you to listen to the American public and to the law enforcement community and support a ban on the further manufacture of these weapons”

Obama quotes Reagan on taxes

Obama Slams GOP Using Reagan Quotethinkprogress6

What Obama said: While pushing for higher taxes on the wealthy in 2012, Obama quoted Reagan’s comments on taxes: “He gave a speech where he talked about a letter he had received from a wealthy executive who paid lower tax rates than his secretary, and wanted to come to Washington and tell Congress why that was wrong. So this president gave another speech where he said it was ‘crazy’ — that’s a quote — that certain tax loopholes make it possible for multimillionaires to pay nothing, while a bus driver was paying 10 percent of his salary. That wild-eyed, socialist, tax-hiking class warrior was Ronald Reagan.”

What Reagan said: As fact-checkers noted, Reagan was actually pushing for a plan to lower tax rates while getting rid of loopholes that allow some wealthy people to dramatically reduce their taxes: “We’re going to close the unproductive tax loopholes that have allowed some of the truly wealthy to avoid paying their fair share. In theory, some of those loopholes were understandable, but in practice they sometimes made it possible for millionaires to pay nothing, while a bus driver was paying 10 percent of his salary, and that’s crazy. It’s time we stopped it.”

Obama quotes Reagan on the debt ceiling

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(AP Photo/Ira Schwarz)

What Obama said: In a televised speech in 2011 about the debate over raising the debt ceiling, Obama quoted Reagan as supporting a mix of spending cuts and tax hikes: ”The first time a deal was passed, a predecessor of mine made the case for a balanced approach by saying this: ’Would you rather reduce deficits and interest rates by raising revenue from those who are not now paying their fair share, or would you rather accept larger budget deficits, higher interest rates, and higher unemployment? And I think I know your answer.’ Those words were spoken by Ronald Reagan.”

What Reagan said: In a speech in Billings, Mont., Reagan discussed a proposal to raise taxes, noting it was part of a broader budget that also cut spending: “Now, this tax program is part of the entire budget process, and it was essential in getting support for further reductions in spending. In order to get $280 billion in reduced outlays over the next 3 years against those deficits, we had to agree to the added revenues of $99 billion. The ratio of reduced spending outlays to revenues is 3 to 1. The bottom line is this: Would you rather reduce deficits and interest rates by raising revenue from those who are not now paying their fair share, or would you rather accept larger budget deficits, higher interest rates, and higher unemployment? And I think I know your answer.”

Obama quotes Reagan on infrastructure

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(AP Photo/Scott Stewart)

What Obama said: While pressing Congress to support a bill to repair and replace bridges and other infrastructure in 2011, Obama quoted Reagan: “Now, if you don’t want to take my word for it, take it from one of my predecessors. It’s one of the previous Presidents. He said that — and I’m quoting here — ‘the bridges and highways we fail to repair today will have to be rebuilt tomorrow at many times the cost.’ He went on to say that ‘rebuilding our infrastructure is common sense’ — that’s a quote — and ‘an investment in tomorrow that we must make today.’ That President was Ronald Reagan.”

What Reagan said: In a 1982 radio address, Reagan called for an increase in the gas tax to pay for repairs to highways and bridges: “We simply cannot allow this magnificent system to deteriorate beyond repair. The time has come to preserve what past Americans spent so much time and effort to create, and that means a nationwide conservation effort in the best sense of the word. America can’t afford throwaway roads or disposable transit systems. The bridges and highways we fail to repair today will have to be rebuilt tomorrow at many times the cost.”

Obama quotes Reagan on the campaign trail

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(AP Photo)

What Obama said: While campaigning in 2008, Obama took an old Reagan attack line and pushed it in a new direction to criticize his opponents over the cratering economy: “Here in Indianapolis and all across America, you’re seeing your hours getting cut or realizing that you can’t pay every bill that’s sitting on the kitchen counter. You know, back in 1980 Ronald Reagan asked the electorate whether you were better off than you were four years ago. At the pace things are going right now you’re going to have ask whether you’re better off than you were four weeks ago.”

What Reagan said: During his closing statement at a 1980 debate, Reagan argued President Jimmy Carter’s term had been unsuccessful in a legendary attack: ““Ask yourself: Are you better off than you were four years ago? Is it easier for you to go and buy things in the stores than it was four years ago? Is there more or less unemployment in the country than there was four years ago? Is America as respected throughout the world as it was? Do you feel that our security is as safe, that we’re as strong as we were four years ago?”

Obama quotes Reagan to religious leaders

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(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

What Obama said: In an off-the-record meeting in 2008 with 30 Christian leaders, Obama quoted Reagan, as he later said in an interview: “I opened up the meeting by quoting Ronald Reagan, which was saying, I know you can’t endorse me, but I endorse you. I endorse the good works that are being done, the wonderful ministries that are taking place all across the country and my goal here is just to have a dialogue to listen, to learn, to share my faith journey and I think people came out of it, not necessarily agreeing with me on every issue, but I think that they recognized that I respected them, I respected their faith, I respected what they’re trying to achieve.”

What Reagan said: In 1980, Reagan gave a speech to a group of thousands of religious conservatives in Dallas, famously winning over the crowd by saying “I know you can’t endorse me, but I endorse you.”